Fire-screen



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. H. JESSUP.

FIRE SGREEN.

No. 489,482. Patented Ja'nfilO, 1893. I

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. H. JESSUPP 1 FIRE SCREEN, N0. 489,482. Patented Jan. 10, 1893.

"cums vs'rrns (10.. Pumuwa. WASHINGTON n c NITED STATES PATENT Erica.

GILBERT H. JESSUP, OF TRACY, MINNESOTA.

FIRE-SCREEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,482, dated January10, 1893.

Application filed March 22, 1892. Serial No. 425,973. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT H. J ESSUP, of Tracy, in the county of Lyonand State of Minnesota, have invented a certain Improved Fire-Screen forBuildings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for quickly and temporarily covering andprotecting any portion or all of a building from fire in adjacentbuildings or from hail during hail storms and its object is to providefor this purpose a cheap, small light and collapsible screen, which inordinary times may be folded and stored in a convenient place for readyaccess in times of danger.

To this end my invention consists in a fire screen of the constructionhereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the side of a building equippedwith one of my devices and with means for securing another of the sameover a second window. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through thewindow and one of my screens. Fig. 3 is a View showing two sections ofthe screen and the arc described by the edge of one in folding it downupon the other. Fig. 4 is an end view of a folded screen. Fig. 5 is afront view of a building showing a number of my devices thereon. Fig. 6is a sectional plan-view of the same.

As shown in the drawings, my screen is made up of a series of longnarrow sections of thin sheet metal 2 preferably of steel. The severalsections are fastened together by the circular rings 3, the same beinginserted through openings 4 provided along the edges of the sections.Each section has its edge 5 doubled. over and pressed down to form astrengthening rib. It will be noticed that the positions of the holes inalternate places differ. For instance in the plate 2 the holes 4 arearranged at distances from the edges of the plate equal to the diameterof the inner part of the ring, while in the sections either above orbelow the holes are placed as close to the edge as the rib or turnededge 5 will permit, in order to permit the same to swing readily uponthe hinge rings. 'In this Way I assure the lapping of the plates all inthe same direction and the screen when taken down will fold back inalternate directions so that the same when folded will present the flatcompact appearance shown in Fig. 4 with the exception that in the actualdevice the proportions of the different parts are much smaller and hencethe screen will fold into considerable less space than can well beindicated in the drawings. In folding the long edge of one section willso bind in the fastening rings 3 as to prevent the narrow edge driveninto the wall 10 of the building. These 7 5 hooks are arranged in anydesired position upon the building or over the windows and doors thereofand have the outwardly turned ends 11 which render easy the attachmentof the screen thereto.

In the inner edges 12 of the window or door casing I provide one or moresmall staples 13 and in one or all of the rings 3 of the screen Iprovide the soft wire loops 14 which after the screen has been hung uponthe hooks may 8 5 be readily twisted into the staples and the edges ofthe screen thereby made fast upon the wall to prevent their being blownor pushed aside. Hooks may be employed for this purpose, if desired.

It is often necessary and desirable to cover the entire front of abuilding in order to prevent its catching fire froma building in closeproximity thereto and particularly to protect glassfronts of buildingswhere permanent 5 shutters are undesirable. Where such is the case Iarrange the hooks 8 in a row or rows across the front or side of thebuilding so placing the hooks that when the several screens are hungupon the hook the vertical zoo edges of the screens will lap upon oneanother as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, thus closing all spaces or crackswhich might otherwise be left between the several devices. Owing to thefact that the screens have a thickness equal only to that of theoverlapping horizontal edges of their sections a very close contact maybe had between said vertical edges. After being placed in position thescreens may be bound together connecting the edge rings of adjoiningsections or screens by means of the previously arranged wires 14. I thusprovide a device which when extended covers and thoroughly protects alarge surface; which when folded occupies much less space than any ofthe fire screens heretofore devised, which is extremely light, weighingonly about twenty pounds and hence adapted for ready use by a singleperson, and which owing to the particular ring hinge joints which Iemploy between the several sections cannot get out of order or fail tofold or unfold with all desired readiness and speed.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:-

1. The combination in a fire-screen, of a se- 1 ries of overlappinghorizontal sections having perforated edges,with hinge rings arranged insaid holes to join the sections, the lower edges of all the sectionslapping outwardly, and a hook or hooks whereon to hang the whole,substantially as described.

2. The combination in a fire-screen, of a series of overlapping metalsections, with rings for securing the overlapping edges of adjoiningsections and the openings for the rings in a given section being closeto the edges thereof, and the holesin the adj oiningsection atgreaterdistances from the edges of said adjoining sections, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

3. The combination with a series of sheet metal sections, having ribbededges, of rings 3 for securing the sections together, said sectionsbeing overlapped as described, hooks arranged upon the building, theupper section provided with openings therefor, and Wire loops arrangedin said rings for binding the vertical edges of the screen,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof witness my hand this 17th day of March, 1892.

GILBERT H. JESSUP.

In presence -of- O. G. HAWLEY, F. S. LYON.

